There’s almost nothing to this ski. No metal, no wood, not a ton of sidecut. Which makes its high-end performance all the more astonishing. The Smoke, which loves to tip and rip on flat snow, is one of those skis that make you wonder why an expert would want to pay more. Yet it works at slow speeds, skids readily, and if you happen to stand in the right place, it will show you the way to carved turns. “Push it, and it responds; but it’s smooth and forgiving as well,” said McGrath.